Ko Joi Restaurant – Kanom Jeen Noodles in Krabi

Michael Babcock, September 1st, 2014

โกจ้อย ขนมจีนไก่ทอด กระบี่
Ko Joi Kanom Jeen Gai Tod Krabi

One of my favorite excursions in Krabi, Thailand, is to go eat a type of noodle called kanom jeen at Ko Joi restaurant in a Nuea Klong just south of Krabi town. It’s a little, somewhat out-of-the way restaurant where they make their own fresh kanom jeen noodles and some absolutely delicious gai tod (fried chicken). Their main sign, in Thai, says โกจ้อย ขนมจีนไก่ทอด กระบี่ – Ko Joi Kanom Jeen Gai Tod Krabi.

(Click pictures to see a larger version.)

Kanom Jeen Namya

Kanom jeen are perhaps the only noodles popular in Thailand that do not come to Thailand via the Chinese. This is ironic as the word for Chinese in Thai sounds very much like jeen – for years I thought that was what the jeen in kanom jeen meant: it’s not. Kanom jeen is a 100% rice noodle consisting of rice, water and (optional) salt. It is made by first fermenting the dough, then expressing the dough through a cylinder with holes into hot water (for cooking). According to Kasma these noodles are indigenous to SE Asia and originated among the Mon ethnic group, who called them kanawn jin. They are found throughout SE Asia, in NE Thailand, Northern Thailand, Southern Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam and Burma. The noodles are documented in the Ayuthaya Era (15th to 18th centuries) and may have existed since the 8th to 11th centuries.

We’ve already blogged on a Southern restaurant that serves kanom jeen ( Wang Derm (formerly Krua Nakhon), in Nakhon Si Thammarat). What makes Ko Joi special is that they make the noodles right there and you can watch the process in its entirety. (See slideshow at bottom of page.)

Kanom Jeen Namya

Kanom Jeen Namya

In many places, kanom jeen noodles are used as a rice substitute: you can order green curry or whatever that will be served over the noodles. Here, you have one choice: Kanom Jeen Namya, which Kasma translates as Southern-Style Rice Vermicelli Topped with Spicy Fish Namya Curry Sauce. And it is spicy! Kasma’s recipe, which she teaches in the Weekend Series Advanced Set E-2 calls for 10 large dried red chillies (soaked and chopped) and 40 to 50 dried red chillies (finely ground) pounded into the chilli paste. The dish even without the chillies would have an intense flavor from all the other herbs; the lovely yellow color comes from fresh turmeric.

The dish is served with an assortment of raw and blanched vegetables and various kind of pickles, which can be eaten separately or stirred in and eaten with the noodles, as you can see above right.

Vegetables & Pickles

Accompanying greens

At nearly every southern restaurant, there’s a platter or two of fresh vegetables and herbs to accompany the meal. At Ko Joi you get two plates: the one above left has two kinds of pickles, cucumbers, long beans and bean sprouts. The one above right has various leaves and herbs, such as Thai Basil.

Marinating Chicken

Frying the chicken

The other plus for Ko Joi is that they make a fabulous fried chicken (gai tod) to eat with the noodles. Above left you see the chicken marinating in a sauce prior to frying. Above left you see the chicken sizzling away in the oil.

Be warned, though: you may need to stay in line for the chicken piece you want as sometimes there’s a number of people waiting to choose.

Fried Chicken

A meal at Ko Joi

When you see the photo above left, you can imagine why there’s a line to order the chicken! The chicken is absolutely delicious: crispy fried on the outside and succulent and flavorful on the inside. I find it impossible to eat only one piece!

Above right you see pretty much a complete meal: the vegetable/pickle platter to the right, then the Kanom Jeen Namya with a piece of fried chicken just behind.

Inside Ko Joi

The inside of the restaurant is nothing fancy: basic tables and plastic stools to sit on. The chicken is simply served on pieces of paper. You don’t come here for the fancy setting!

The one other dish I’ve seen here is a Fish Innard Curry – Kaeng Tai Pla – which is incendiary. The dish has a pretty strong taste and is, in my opinion, an acquired taste. (I’ve not yet acquired it!)

This is a fabulous excursion; plan on going for breakfast and do make sure you watch the noodle making in the back room. For now, check out the slideshow below.

Getting There

Ko Joi sign

Sign close-up

Kasma and I got together in 1992 and since then I’ve been to Thailand every year but one, always with Kasma. Yes, indeed, I do know that I’m a lucky man. Traveling with a Thai woman who specializes in finding interesting places to visit and knows so much about Thai food and Thailand is good in one way; in another, I’m not sure how many of the places we visit I could find if I ever did have to travel on my own.

Ko Joi is found in Nuea Klong (North Canal) which is about 17 km south of Krabi town and about 3 km from the airport. It’s directly across from a Chinese shrine and is accessed from left-hand turn onto a small road from the Highway. Your best bet for getting there, is to find a songtao or hire a car and driver in Krabi town and get them to take you there: Kasma says it’s well known in Krabi and people there will know it.

This is a breakfast and lunch place. As far as I can tell, it opens at 6:00 a.m. and closes either at 1:00 or 2:00 p.m.